Christian Cawley's Blog, page 63

What We Learned from the Doctor Who Series 9 Premier Screening

Jeremy Remy is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The first two episodes of Series 9—The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar—were recently screened for audiences at Cineworld in Cardiff. According to Steven Moffat, they “saved episode two for the Welsh,” and followed the event up with a Q&A with the audience.

Here’s what we learned:

Peter Capaldi would like to see his musical heroes guest star in Doctor Who. Specifically, he’d like to share the screen with David Bowie and Keith Richards.
Capaldi loves a fan selfie. Continuing to be a personal hero to fans, Capaldi mentioned feeling bad if he doesn’t have time to pose for a photo with a fan.
Capaldi chose the Doctor’s guitar. An idea he mentioned in jest, but was delighted to see in script, Capaldi went shopping for the perfect guitar.
Moffat prefers Classic Who to NuWho . In particular, he noted love for Ark from Space and Remembrance of the Daleks. Whereas, Capaldi highlighted affection for a different episode.
Moffat believes Doctor Who will continue forever. However, don’t expect a live or musical episode anytime soon.

Did you have an opportunity to attend the screening? If so, what (preferably non-spoilery) things did we miss from the Q&A? If not, what are you hoping for from the first two episodes—due to hit the small screen, beginning 19 September?

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Kasterborous T-Shirt Store Sale Now On!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Out partners at TeePublic have announced a massive sale on T-shirts, tanks, kids tees, hoodies and more, which means that you can head to the Kasterborous T-Shirt Store and pick up one of our curated selection of tees for just $14!

The sale kicked off on Wednesday, but TeePublic has extended it into today, given all of us who missed it the chance to grab a bargain!

Deal Details:

T-Shirts – $14
Tanks – $18
Kids Tees – $14
Hoodies – $35
Crew necks – $30
Prints and Canvas 25% Off

To get your discounted tee, tank, hoodie, crew neck or print, head to the Kasterborous T-Shirt Store.

The post Kasterborous T-Shirt Store Sale Now On! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Waris Hussein Spends Time in the TARDIS Again!

Katie Gribble is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Waris Hussein was recently seen in pictures on the TARDIS set with the Doctor himself. Something not seen since the 1960s. Waris Hussein, along with Verity Lambert, helped to cast William Hartnell as the First Doctor, but is most famous for directing the first story An Unearthly Child and then Marco Polo for 1963-4 first season.

In an interview done during his time on set, Waris revealed his love for the current TARDIS team. Of the Doctor himself, Hussein admires the ‘quirkiness…and maturity…I always felt that the Doctor should have a kind of seniority to him, which is what I think Peter brings, as well as a kind of sprightliness and a complexity and also a sense of humour.’

When it comes to Clara, Hussein adores her: I like the fact that she’s feisty and that she has a mind of her own… She doesn’t have to be resorting to the “heroine in constant peril screaming”.

While it’s nice to know what Waris thinks, what we really want to know is… when is he coming back?

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How Does the Doctor Who Team Keep Spoilers a Secret?

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Spoilers. I hate them. When The Name of the Doctor got shipped to some customers before broadcast, I sat in fear of the Internet for the space of about a week. Then of course, the great Series 8 leak. Hashtag campaign proved mostly victorious as I went through unscathed. And while it can be a little harder at times to avoid spoilers as a writer here at Kasterborous, I’ve done pretty well.

However, it is safe to say that there is a group of individuals that hate them more than I do. Of course I’m referring to Steven Moffat and the BBC production team responsible for Doctor Who.

If you’ve ever wondered how they keep everything under wraps until the episodes air on Saturday night, the folks at BBC Newsbeat have caught up with the Moff and provided us insight. When revealing that he and his team use code names, Moffat had this to say:

“…we’re rubbish at it. I don’t know how we get away with it because we always forget which code name refers to who then we have to say it and it’s just a disaster. But yes, we try. To be absolutely honest, the way our secrecy works is the generosity of fans and the press in not allowing us to trip ourselves up too much because we’re always screwing up very badly.”

I agree with his assessment. Whovians on the whole, prefer to not be spoiled and those that want said spoils are generally nice enough to not spoil it for the spoilerphobes amongst us. For that, this writer is incredible thankful.

What do you say, fellow Kasterborites? Do you like being spoiled? Or are you glad that the Moff and our fandom go to great lengths to keep secrets secret until it’s time? Let us know!

The post How Does the Doctor Who Team Keep Spoilers a Secret? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

More Sneak Peaks at Doctor Who in LEGO Dimensions!

Andrew Reynolds is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Excitement is ‘building’ for the release of Lego Dimensions – the cross franchise adventure game that follows the ‘toys to life’ principle where by physical toys come to life within the game – with the Doctor set to join the likes of Gandalf, Marty McFly and Batman.

Following Warner Bros press event this week, Family Gamer TV gives us a glimpse of what to expect in the Doctor Who Level Pack (the game divides packs into three: Fun packs, Level packs and Team packs) which is due to follow the initial launch set (which includes three Doctor Who levels) on 3rd November.

In the video we get to see each of the Doctors along with a brief look at the War Doctor’s TARDIS interior on the PS4.

Of course, every time the Doctor dies, he regenerates; allowing fans to work through each of the Doctors from one to twelve with the TARDIS also changing to match.

What isn’t seen or heard in the clip is the jukebox within the TARDIS which plays each variation of the Doctor Who theme, or any of the additional dialogue recorded by Peter Capaldi or which audio clips have been selected for the other Doctors.

The Doctor Who Level Pack includes an additional mission-based Doctor Who level called An Adventure in Space and Time, a Twelfth Doctor LEGO mini-figure, and LEGO models of the TARDIS and K-9, all playable in the game.

This video from the Zusammengebaut channel gives us a close up look at the Twelfth Doctor, the TARDIS mini-figures, and the plinth from which to display your mini-Doctor.

Following on from the Doctor Who Level Pack comes the Cyberman Fun Pack which includes a Cyberman and a Dalek.

Lego Dimensions is released on September 27th with the Doctor Who Level Pack following on November 3rd and the Cyberman Fun Pack coming on January 19th 2016.

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BBC Releases Doctor Who Series 9 Prologue!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The Doctor is back. It’s eight days until the broadcast of Doctor Who Series 9, and to quench your thirst for more Peter Capaldi, the BBC has today released a prologue for the forthcoming adventure, The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar.

We won’t spoil anything for you here, suffice to say it’s great, and there’s a familiar face in there. You’ll have to head to the BBC website and watch it on iPlayer, or click PLAY below…

The main event hits screens on BBC One next Saturday, 19th September at 7.40pm, and if you’re in the USA, BBC America will be broadcasting at 9/8c.

Doctor Who Series 9 is almost upon us!

(Big thanks to Katie)

The post BBC Releases Doctor Who Series 9 Prologue! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Moffat on Series 9: “We’re Aiming to be Unpredictable”

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Doctor Who is back very, very soon, and Steven Moffat, showrunner, gives an insight into what we can expect from Peter Capaldi’s second series as the Twelfth Doctor.

The Doctor and Clara’s dynamic has changed, he says, leading to a very exciting series free of the weight of Series 8’s “am I a good man?” theme…

Doctor Who is back, how has the dynamic of the series changed since Series 8?

Peter Capaldi returns with his second series as the Doctor – it’s the glory years of the Doctor and Clara. They’ve been through the angst, the Doctor has been through his fear of not being a good man, and Clara has been through her fear that this might not be the Doctor. They’re on equal footing with a new dynamic between them and are relishing the Universe. They’re linking hands and running towards a brand new world of epic adventure on a cinematic scale. They are clearly heroes and loving every minute!

How is the series different from last year?

It’s a big, mad, and exciting series. You’ll be grinning a lot more and there’s more comedy mixed in with some of the darkest stuff we’ve done – the Doctor’s first big entrance sets the tone.

Why did you decide to reintroduce two-parters?

We’re doing bigger stories and two-parters allow you all those massive cliff hangers. Forty five minutes has served us incredibly well, but it’s time to change it up a bit, change the rhythm. It’s not just about being longer, sometimes it’s about going deeper. And you won’t always be quite sure whether you’re watching a two-parter or not – how much longer the jeopardy will last. We’re aiming to be unpredictable.

Tell us about the guest cast.

We have a vast array of guest cast this year that means we can build on the depth of stories and develop intrigue and backstories even further. We have the magnificent, insane and comedic Missy [played by Michelle Gomez] returning; young outstanding Maisie Williams taking up a new role, as her character challenges the Doctor in unexpected ways; and of course Osgood [played by Ingrid Oliver] is brought back from the dead. The Doctor might be in for a surprise with her, this time he might not be able to trust his number one fan.

Did you have any challenges writing for the series?

We always like a new challenge on the show: bringing adventures set on dangerous alien planets; urban thrillers; underwater ghost stories; journeys that take us from Vikings to the end of time itself. We’re pushing the boundaries once again with the most experimental episode Doctor Who has ever made. I’ve written a one-hander for the Doctor, I can’t tell you too much about this, but it’s certainly unique and a big first for the show!

Okay, so hand’s up: who’s excited? I thought so! The Magician’s Apprentice airs at 7:40pm pn BBC One on 19th September.

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BBC To Create a Nation of Digital Makers with Doctor Who’s Help

Jonathan Appleton is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The BBC is launching a new website that will enable people to make digital content based on some of its most popular shows, and Doctor Who will be one of the key elements with a dedicated games maker set to launch.

Coming on the back of the new Make it Digital season, the mixital site sees the corporation “handing over creativity tools and BBC assets to the audience, and they can make their own BBC” according to head of digital creativity Martin Wilson.

At the moment Doctor Who content on the site is the already available Mission Dalek create-a-clip competition (the trailer for which has created something of a stir, what with Warrior’s Gate making an unexpected appearance) but as the Independent says:

“A Doctor Who Game Maker, which goes live next week, offers the chance to create game adventures for the Timelord and various heroes and monsters from the BBC’s epic saga.”

The project is the latest part of the BBC’s strategy to play its part in harnessing digital creativity in the UK, with the number of tech specialists in the country set to grow fourfold in the next decade.

And whilst Doctor Who fans will be looking forward to making their own games, viewers of other BBC hit programmes won’t be left out. So we’re also getting an Eastenders ‘soap factory’ (complete with digital Queen Vic pub) and a dance routine generator to create routines for Strictly Come Dancing ‘robots’ (insert gag about inept contestant of your choice here…).

Announcing the initiative BBC Director General Lord Hall promised an “open BBC, working closely with others to achieve something far greater than we could on our own: to inspire the nation to get coding and get digital.”

Programming in the Make it Digital season includes The Gamechangers, a one-off drama starring Daniel Radcliffe as the creator of Grand Theft Auto and an edition of Horizon which poses the question Are Video Games Really That Bad?

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The Salvation of Doctor Who

Jeremy Remy is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Matt Rawle, Lead Pastor of The Well United Methodist Church in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, is a speaker and writer who draws on the intersection of faith and popular culture to discuss issues of Christianity.

In his newest addition to the Pop in Culture Series of Bible studies texts, he examines the influences of and links to religion in Doctor Who. The Salvation of Doctor Who: A Small Group Study Connecting Christ and Culture is the third book in the ongoing series by the pastor (following Hollywood Jesus and The Faith of a Mockingbird). In addition to the small group study book itself, Rawle offers a DVD featuring four sessions with the author, a full Leader Guide, and a Worship Resources Flash Drive.

Published by Abingdon Press, the book is available now for £7.90 on Kindle, and £9.88 in paperback and £31.22 in hardcover. It’s also available from Amazon US from 1st October.

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Michelle Gomez on Series 9: “Missy is a Force of Nature”

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Michelle Gomez returns to plague the Doctor in the opening two-parter of Series 9, The Magician’s Apprentice/ The Witch’s Familiar… or does she? The actress says that things have changed – although, naturally, Missy’s still a mad murderer! Nonetheless, she and Clara have some respect for one another…

You’ve re-joined the Doctor Who cast and reclaimed the role of Missy for Series 9, what was it like being back on set?

It felt so good, especially as I thought it was all over for Missy at the end of Series 8. But then of course she is the Master after all, so anything can happen, even dodging death. I’m still in a state of shock at actually being in a show I watched avidly as a child.

How did you feel when you were asked to return?

I was thrilled to be asked back, it’s not every day one gets to travel through all of space and time. When they asked me I didn’t have to think too hard about it, and I’d say yes again if it came to it. But nothing’s a guarantee so I’m aware this year might be her last. But I sincerely hope not.

You appear in the opening episodes with Clara…

The dynamic between Missy and Clara takes on a whole new shape, and not one I had imagined. There is something not quite right about it that makes for slightly unnerving viewing. Missy gets bored very easily, you can imagine her and the Doctor in the classroom. She’s using her intellect even then to cause mischief and [disruption].

Tell us about your relationship with Clara in these episodes

Our relationship shifts greatly from where we left off in the last series. Dare I say there might be a hint of respect there? Perhaps not quite respect. More a healthy dose of circumspect, from both I guess.

Shooting in a large cinematic location abroad in Tenerife, what did the location add to the scenes?

There’s a sense of opera about that strange volcanic landscape – grand and loud in its infinite vastness, which provided us with a perfect backdrop for our needs. It had a harsh but strange beauty, almost lunar. Which was kind of the point.

Tell us about your relationship with the Doctor in these episodes

They are still opposite magnets, mostly repelling, but at times they also attract. There is an undeniable shorthand that comes with a lifelong friendship. A friendship that at some point went very wrong. They are both from the same place eons ago, so the weight of that history they share is the bedrock of their relationship.

Can you describe your character ? Tell us how she’s developed since Series 8.

Missy is a force of nature. She is a fearless, slightly psychotic killer whom you can’t help but like just a little bit. She’s very honest in her role as the Master. This is how she sees it – they both kill. The Doctor feels bad about it, she doesn’t. To her, the Doctor hides behind his remorse while she thrives in the power to destroy. She has many tools to do this but so far we have seen but a few. Reading minds, hypnosis and moving obstacles just by thinking about it are to name but a few. She doesn’t bake much. Well, not in the conventional sense.

Currently the Doctor Who team have a strong Scottish feel with Peter, Steven, and yourself as part of the crew. What feedback have you received from your home town?

Go Scotland! When asked recently what does Gallifrey look like, I replied ‘Glasgow’, I’m sure that went down a storm. I think they are very proud. It’s a Scottish take over with Peter, Steven, and I all from Glasgow. The Weegies will take over the world.

You live in New York and there’s a big Doctor Who following in America – are you recognised when you’re in the US as much as the UK?

I’d say around the same amount. Which is not much at all. Missy and I have a very different dress sense so the fact I’m not wandering around in full Victorian garb means I get to walk around pretty freely.

What do you think Doctor Who means for British drama and its identity overseas?

It’s a product that reaches across the seas and touches people across the world. It ignites their imaginations with brilliant storytelling that all the family can enjoy. There aren’t too many of those shows around anymore, which makes it all the more special.

Doctor Who  Series 9 begins with The Magician’s Apprentice on 19th September 2015!

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